Calendar of Events - December 2001This schedule of major events related to the conflict in Chechnya is continuously updated and completed. Announcements for planned or expected events or any other suggestions are most welcome (e-mail: mail (at) watchdog.cz)
December 2-6, Chechnya / Ingushetia / Moscow
A sixth meeting of the Joint Working Group on Chechnya.
Council of Europe and Russian parliamentarians visit Chechnya and Ingushetia to assess in particular the humanitarian situation in the region. The parliamentarians will meet senior military personnel in Chechnya, members of the pro-Moscow Chechen administration, including the Mayor of Grozny, a cross-section of the Chechen society and visit centres for refugees in Ingushetia and Chechnya. In Moscow the delegation will meet officials of the Russian Federal Security Service and Prosecutor General's office, as well as the Minister for Social and Economic Reconstruction in Chechnya.
The co-chairs of the Joint Working Group, Lord Judd and Mr Rogozin, will give a press conference at the premises of Interfax, 2 Pervaya-Tverskaya Iamskaya, at 10am on Thursday 6 December.
More information is available at: Council of Europe.
December 6-7, Brussels
Session of the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council.
December 9-11, Russia
US Secretary of State Colin Powell visits Russia. The agenda includes the war on terrorism and situation in Afghanistan, problems of strategic stability, relations between NATO and Russia, among other things.
December 10
Human Rights Day
December 11
The seventh anniversary of the beginning of the first Russian-Chechen War (1994-1996). Russian army crossed the Chechen border and first military operations started.
December 17, Stavropol
The trial of people charged with participating in the raid of Budyonnovsk that a Chechen rebel unit led by Shamil Basayev staged in June 1995 will begin in labor camp No. 11 outside Stavropol on December 17. The Stavropol Territory Court will try ten people for banditry, terrorism, hostage taking and possession of arms.
December 15-20, Moscow
13-member organising committee of the new Consultative Council which was established by the participants in the consultation held in Strasbourg on November 28-29 by Parliamentary Assembly's-State Duma Joint Working Group on Chechnya will meet for the first time. The main task of the Council should be "demilitarisation of Chechnya republic and establishment of conditions for generally accepted democratic procedures."
December 19, Strasbourg
Meeting of the Committee of Ministers' Deputies
On the agenda : contribution of the Council of Europe towards the restoration of the rule of law, respect for human rights and democracy in Chechnya, etc.
More information is available at Council of Europe.
December 19, Moscow
Human Rights Center Memorial holds a press conference on the premises of the Center for Development of Press on Tverskoy Bulvar, No. 20, entitled "Human rights abuses in Chechnya continue." The conference will focus on illegal practices of Russian soldiers during the so-called "mopping-up" operations in Chechnya as recently reported by the Memorial Caucasus staff.
Compiled by Prague Watchdog.
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